Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Aug;59(8):1471-6.
doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03493.x. Epub 2011 Jun 30.

The vulnerable elders survey-13 predicts hospital complications and mortality in older adults with traumatic injury: a pilot study

Lillian Min  1 , Nitin Ubhayakar, Debra Saliba, Lorraine Kelley-Quon, Eric Morley, Jonathan Hiatt, Henry Cryer, Areti Tillou
Affiliations

The vulnerable elders survey-13 predicts hospital complications and mortality in older adults with traumatic injury: a pilot study

Lillian Min et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES)-13, a survey based on functional status that has been validated in uninjured older populations, will predict complications and mortality in injured older adults.

Design: Prospective observational pilot study.

Setting: Level 1 trauma center.

Participants: Sixty-three older adults (≥65) with a traumatic injury who survived and required inpatient care for at least 24 hours.

Predictor: preinjury VES-13 score (0-10 points, higher=greater risk) obtained by interviewing participants or proxies.

Outcomes: composite outcome of one or more medical complications (e.g., aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure) or death, discharge destination (home, nursing home, death), length of stay, hospital charges. Covariates: Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and sex.

Results: Of the 63 participants, 30 (48%) were discharged to home and 28 (44%) to a nursing facility, 21 (33%) developed one or more complications, and four (6%) died. In a model that also controlled for ISS and comorbidity, each additional VES-13 point was associated with greater risk of complication or death (odds ratio=1.53 per point, 95% confidence interval=1.12-2.07).

Conclusion: The VES-13, in combination with injury severity, may be useful early in the hospital course to predict complications and death in older adults with traumatic injury, potentially identifying candidates who may benefit from additional inpatient geriatric services.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. VES-13 Predicts Hospital Morbidity and Mortality
Explanation: The predicted risks of the composite outcome (development of a hospital complication and/or death) are plotted against the VES-13 score (solid line). Higher VES-13 scores represent greater risk. The dotted lines represent 95% confidence intervals (obtained by bootstrapping 1000 times, percentile method). The model was adjusted for Injury Severity Score (ISS), Charlson Comorbidity Index, and gender. The displayed predicted risks are for a male with ISS score of 25 (severe injury), and no co-morbidities. VES-13= Vulnerable Elders-13 Survey
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Soreide K, Kruger AJ, Vardal AL, et al. Epidemiology and contemporary patterns of trauma deaths: changing place, similar pace, older face. World J Surg. 2007;31:2092–2103. - PubMed
    1. Finelli FC, Jonsson J, Champion HR, et al. A case control study for major trauma in geriatric patients. J Trauma. 1989;29:541–548. - PubMed
    1. Champion HR, Copes WS, Buyer D, et al. Major trauma in geriatric patients. Am J Public Health. 1989;79:1278–1282. - PMC - PubMed
    1. MacKenzie EJ, Morris JA, Jr., Smith GS, et al. Acute hospital costs of trauma in the United States: implications for regionalized systems of care. J Trauma. 1990;30:1096–1101. discussion 1101-1093. - PubMed
    1. Richmond TS, Kauder D, Strumpf N, et al. Characteristics and outcomes of serious traumatic injury in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50:215–222. - PubMed

Publication types